Kary's Pocket of Mod

My home provides an unexpected pocket of mod in the middle of Santa Fe’s Historic District. In a town known for its “round, brown, and low to the ground” aesthetic, I love my home’s sharp lines, gleaming surfaces, and high ceilings - the perfect backdrop for my “atomic rocket” style. Thanks to the open and efficient layout, I can comfortably screen Forbidden Planet for a dozen friends or host a packed party for 30. At the same time, my home’s small size (by U.S. standards) makes it possible to play Tetris in my PJs all day without feeling lonely or weird. Or at least I don’t feel lonely and weird because my house is too big.

Three of My Best Tips and Tricks for Creating a Successful Small Space:

1. Make It Shine. The more you bounce light around, the bigger your space feels. Think beyond mirrors: glass fronted bookcases, glass fronted art, lacquered furniture - all bounce light to create a dynamic space. My polished concrete floors do this too when my furniture’s on legs.
2. Make It Red. Red spray paint - or another fun color - cheaply elevates even boring storage. Instead of replacing my ho-hum fridge, I sprayed it shiny red. My cheap bathroom shelves got the red treatment too. If you can swing the cost, powder coating gives the same effect more durably; check out the legs on my old metal bookcase.
3. Make It Rad. Small homes can have limited sight lines, so it pays to amp up the ones you have. Notice where your eyes go when you do what you do at home - working, chilling, flossing - and put a thing you dig right there. That’s how my Godzilla Wall came to be, not to mention my googly-eyed pal in the TV room and the secret Space Invader in my bathroom (see him?).